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Ford 8.8 Swap Hard Brake Lines: Over the spring or under?

I

Ilikeparts

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Puerto Vallarta, MX
what is everybody running? this guy has some great pics for a yj and I figure I can cut the sway bar mounts of the 8.8 and use them for something similar but probably with bolt-through instead of thread-in

http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/ford88.html

but ive seen a bunch of pics also of ppl running them over the top of the springs with and without supports at the soft line junction...

this way seems kinda janky but putting them under the perches exposes them to obstacles.. what do you guys think?
 
Without any experience to base an opinion on, I would suggest going under the spring with them so you don't have a hassle if you need to do anything with the springs.
 
In my mj i put them over the spring with the junction point on the ubolt plates, it been almost a year and no trouble.
 
I have Explorer brakes on my 44 and ran them under the spring, that way I was able to finish the axle and swap it in, less to hook up once it was in. I just tried to keep the lines to the back of the axle and up high where I could.

Though I'm in the process of building another 44 with the Explorer brakes again, but with welded tubes and u-bolt eliminators, and I want to try and run the brakes a little better this time. Welded tabs on the axle to mount the lines to, and probably drill though the UBEs and run the lines though them. I've also thought about using stock XJ front brake lines instead of Explorer lines, they are a lot longer. Thats one complaint I have about the Explorer lines, they are too short and you don't have enough line to set them out of the way when you're working back there.

PB140408.jpg
 
I tried to run my over the springs like you mention but I found the flex hoses too short.
I ended up just scouring pics on NAXJA and copying others I ended up with this:

1000886fl.jpg
 
Last edited:
JeremyB said:
I ran mine under the springs.
Click to expand...

That's one of the prettiest I've seen. I thought mine looked good until I saw yours.

Under
88underjeep-1.jpg
 
Jeremy B... this is probably a silly question but what are those u bolts doing where the tubes meet the housing?

edit... after looking at the pic again i assume they're holding on that skid.

edit again. could you tell me where you got your hard brake lines and how long they are? i'm wanting to swap mine out for shorter lines. mine are too long.
 
bosco01xj said:
Jeremy B... this is probably a silly question but what are those u bolts doing where the tubes meet the housing?

edit... after looking at the pic again i assume they're holding on that skid.

edit again. could you tell me where you got your hard brake lines and how long they are? i'm wanting to swap mine out for shorter lines. mine are too long.
Click to expand...

Yes the u bolts are holding the skid on, I wanted to be able to remove it for service.
I made the lines frome straight lines I got from the parts store, and reflared them.
 
jeeperjohn said:
Without any experience to base an opinion on, I would suggest going under the spring with them so you don't have a hassle if you need to do anything with the springs.
Click to expand...
Likewise. Though disc brakes are pretty easy to work on, if you need the brake line out of the way, pull the two 10mm bolts, move the caliper, and hang it off the axle tube. DEFINITELY under the springs if you're rocking drum brakes for some reason.
 
no its disc 99 exploder 4.10 31-spline posi super 88 kit bla bla

ok so it looks like under the spring is how its gonna go, got my tabs ready and im fixin to go bend up some coat hanger for the hard lines.

then i have to go blow some shock brackets out with my buddie's torch because ruff stuff "simple" swap kit comes with non-xj style brackets (something they neglected to mention when I called in and asked about the kit) but they were really cool about it Dan is sending me a set of the side-mount brackets no charge and says he's going to add a new option to their Simple Swap 31-Spline 8.8 kit for us XJ owners that comes with the side-mount brackets!


edit: thanks for all the pics they're a huge help
 
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